


a february

by tnevmucric



Series: the one you love [2]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:13:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27219217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tnevmucric/pseuds/tnevmucric
Summary: it is a well-known fact that ren amamiya is a romantic. he has the very special ability to find and amplify any source of emotion in a movie and cry quite soulfully as a result.one afternoon ann narrows her eyes. her hazelnut frozen yoghurt isn’t as great as it usually is which only means one thing for certain in the grand scheme of the universe. she points her wooden spoon accusingly at ren.“you’re in love again, you fool.”it is a well-known fact that ren amamiya is a hopeless romantic.(a prequel to 'a tuesday'; can be read alone)
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro & Persona 5 Protagonist, Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: the one you love [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1987204
Comments: 6
Kudos: 61





	a february

Had Ren not been the single most unfocused person in the documented area of a 100 kilometre radius (a study carried out by the begrudging, do-good science of one Futaba Sakura which was only newly do-good due to an instance with a vindictive octo-bird), or had Ryuji not painted Yusuke’s front porch a very particular lime green that afternoon, perhaps then Ren would have not stepped straight into the bucket of paint Ryuji left by the letterbox and trailed footprints from Shibuya to Yongen. And then perhaps, a little later, Haru might have just let him in the café to work instead of leaving him outside to dry. But if all of this had not happened, and if Ann hadn’t suggested to Yusuke that he bring a little colour into his newly bought home (the result of his eclectic ceramic toothbrush-pot empire), Goro Akechi might have never smiled at Ren as he entered that little Yongen café.

Looking back, Ren supposed he had his lime green shoes to thank.

* * *

It is a well-known fact that Ren Amamiya is a romantic. He has the very special ability to find and amplify any source of emotion in a movie and cry quite soulfully as a result.

One afternoon Ann narrows her eyes. Her hazelnut frozen yoghurt isn’t as great as it usually is which only means one thing for certain in the grand scheme of the universe. She points her wooden spoon accusingly at Ren.

“You’re in love again, you fool.”

It is a well-known fact that Ren Amamiya is a hopeless romantic.

* * *

Ren makes great coffee. Trust him, even the apparition in his apartment says so, and Morgana is a very trustworthy apparition for a former cat thief.

(Ren lives a bust life between ghosts and falling in love with anyone that smiles his way. This has led to awkward encounters with waiters, two air-hostesses, his tax agent, four of his former bosses and on a particularly hazy New Years Eve—Ryuji’s mother.)

“Almond milk, extra foam and two sugar cubes on the side”, Haru calls to him. “Takeaway.”

This is Goro Akechi’s order, and Ren always takes great care in stacking the two small cubes of sugar to the side of the lid so as not to ruin the artful effect that happens when Goro Akechi pulls a small wad of gum out from his mouth to place there.

(“That’s kind of gross”, Futaba points out. “Sticky gloves. Also, coffee and gum don’t mix. Also-also, you are never artful about your coffees. You would be artful about your coffees if you took that cappuccino class with Haru and Yusuke but instead you spit in my mocha when I call your socks ugly and give innocent bystanders sub-par hearts in their foam.)

(Ren has yet to try his sub-par heart wiles on Goro Akechi.)

Once receiving his coffee, Goro sticks around for a short while to speak with Haru. Today she enthusiastically beats up a ball of dough while sliced apples and whole berries sit in lemon juice and sugar. She seems to be talking about the economy, but Ren is sure to go back to making herbal teas before anyone spots him lurking.

(“Dude”, Ryuji says through a mouthful of egg roll: “You’re 6 foot.”)

“Who’s he?” Ren starts casually once Goro has safely left the premises. He tries to steal a piece of apple from the bowl but Haru wields her rolling pin at him in warning.

“That’s just Goro; he works in Mako’s office. Pass me a clean fork?”

Ren does, and watches her poke tiny holes in the pastry.

“Is he single?"

Haru aims her rolling pin at his stomach.

* * *

“His gum is always pink”, Ren whispers to Morgana, and Morgana begins to snore.

* * *

“I’ll be five minutes”, Haru promises. “I’m just going to the grocer around the corner—you’ll be fine.”

Ren has always taken comfort in the fact that his schedule is untouchable and immovable and that Haru always has the ingredients she needs ready and stocked.

“We can close for five minutes”, Ren suggests but Haru is already shaking her head.

“You’ll be fine”, she repeats. And as if his day hadn’t already been turned on its head, this is the day Goro decides to come in, relaying his usual order to Ren after the short mention of passing Haru on the way over.

This is the part where you imagine Ren Amamiya’s shaky hand screwing up a foam heart.

“You like music?” Ren blurts out. Goro glances away from the television in the corner and shrugs.

“I guess.”

“You guess?”

“It’s not really a big topic for me.”

“You should listen to _Crowded House_.”

(“You didn’t”, Makoto groans.

“He did”, Goro nods solemnly.)

(It is another well-known fact that Ren Amamiya is a die-hard _Crowded House_ fan.)

“I’ll look into it,” Goro replies. “Thanks for the coffee.”

(He will not, in fact, look into it.)

* * *

Ren daydreams he meets Goro on a sugar-cube hill where the skyline treats them a whisper of sea green and a cloudy morning breeze. Everything smells almondy.

* * *

“There’s an apparition in my apartment”, Ren mentions. Goro flicks through his magazine; the television’s stopped working and Haru’s out to buy a new one.

“There are people you can call for that.”

“Can I call you?”

Success. Goro looks up—albeit doubtfully.

“Haru told me there was a chance that within the next nine days you would approach me, convinced you were in love and that we were meant to be and that I, at all costs, should not converse with you on a Wednesday.”

(“Futaba made a chart about it”, Haru explains. “You’re more likely to meet the love of your life on a Wednesday, have a wonderful work week but get dumped on a Sunday night leaving me to pick up the slack Monday morning. It’s just bad for business.”)

“It’s afternoon, tomorrow’s here already.”

Goro smiles and sets his magazine down, leaning on it.

“How very optimistic of you, but that’s not how time works.”

“My schedule has been a little out of the loop these past few days.”

“Your apparition?”

Ren passes him his takeaway cup. “Among other things.”

Goro looks thoughtfully at his drink for a long moment.

“You’ll have to work for my number if you want me to deal with that apparition.”

The bell above the door rings farewell and Ren does get so excited that he slips on a patch of caramel drizzle from Ann’s frappe that very morning.

* * *

“The equilibrium of the world is still fucked up, haven’t you made your move yet?”

Ren battles Futaba’s fingers away from within the chip bag and suffers defeat for the last cheese-tube. They watch Yusuke as he continues to mould his latest clay design; Ren thought it looked a little obtuse for his liking.

“He won’t give me his number yet”, he explained. “Yet.”

“Don’t you see him every other day? How come you haven’t made a move before?”

“I didn’t notice him before.”

Futaba stares very seriously at Ren.

“Sometimes I worry you’re a shallow asshole but then I remember that you just have the attention span of an actual toddler and while that should be comforting, it really isn’t.”

“You’re exactly the same.”

“Yeah, but I have a degree.”

“I’m dad’s favourite.”

She pointedly crinkles the empty chip bag. “Neither of us are his favourite and you know that.” Ren nods resignedly.

“Yeah. Hey, do you think Yusuke’s ready to watch _Ghost_ yet? I know he’s against it because of the sanctity of his work or whatever but maybe we could get him to watch it next Halloween.”

“I think you need bigger balls, man.”

* * *

“You look nice today”, Ren says, intercepting Goro’s regular route to Haru at the end of the counter. “All of your suits look very nice on you. You have good shoulders.”

(Somewhere, a cosmic force compels Ann to face-palm.)

Goro laughs very gently.

“Thank you, Ren.”

Ren likes his name a lot more when Goro says it.

* * *

“Almond milk, extra foam and two sugar cubes on the side, please.”

“Doesn’t the coffee bother with the flavour of the gum?” Ren asks, but backtracks and burns his finger on scalding milk. “I mean, I’ve wondered. You’re always chewing it.”

(“Makes me sweeter”, Goro teases. Futaba pretends to throw up.)

“Not as much as you’d think”, Goro replies.

“So what’s the point?”

“The point?”

“Yeah.”

He looked quizzical, but amused.

“It’s just gum.”

Ren does refuse this entirely unromantic response and Goro does decide to write his phone number on his receipt.

* * *

Ren considers that this love feels different.

* * *

  
  


“So hey”, Ren says when Goro picks up. “I’ve considered the fact that maybe you don’t have the time to listen to music because of your job so I’m going to play you some now. If you have the time. If you want.”

Goro goes quiet.

“That’s…” he trails off. “I would like that.”

Later, Ren won’t wonder too much why Goro seemed lost for words, but he will wonder.

* * *

“I think we all need to just enjoy our lives”, he says softly. “I spent so much of my life not enjoying mine—it’s the least we owe ourselves.”

Ren truly believes there are stars in Goro’s eyes at this moment. He says so. Goro half-smiles: flustered.

“You’re a strange man, Ren.”

* * *

Morgana’s tail lazily swings down from the bookshelf and Goro stands below him, hands casual on his hips.

“There’s actually an apparition in your apartment.”

“You thought I was lying?” Goro raises an eyebrow over his shoulder.

“I thought you wanted to have sex and this was all a somewhat endearing, if incredibly idiotic way of propositioning me.”

“If you think I put out on the first date you are sorely mistaken, Goro Akechi.”

Goro raises his eyebrow further. Morgana pauses in licking his paw to stare.

“Okay”, Ren admits. “Only for the pretty ones.”

“I’m pretty”, Goro points out.

* * *

That perfumed flavour of fake watermelon on his tongue and a sugar burn on the inside of his cheek hidden by his pearly white teeth. That way he kisses again and again, that way he makes _Ren_ feel like _Ren._

* * *

“What I don’t get is why Goro never talked to Ren in the first place.”

Everyone looks at Makoto.

“What?” Ren asks.

“Makoto”, Goro warns. She waves her hand nonchalantly.

“You’ve been crushing on him for at least a year. I’ve had to deal with Ren this, Ren that, Ren has another boyfriend, I’m going to be lonely forever, _blah blah blah_.”

Haru points her fork accusingly and Goro narrowly dodges the kick at his knee.

“You mean you weren’t coming to the café to talk to me about the weekly crossword?”

“Goro hates crosswords”, Ren explains confusedly. “He cheats and fills them in with the answers at the back.”

“Oh my God”, Ann mutters,

“I admire the effort”, Futaba admits.

“Whaddaya think Yusuke?” Ryuji asks.

Everyone looks at Yusuke who, presently, has two dumplings in his mouth and is dripping beef broth onto the carpet.

“Wait, wait, wait”, Futaba interrupts, “I still don’t get the apparition part.”

“Morgana, the ghost cat”, Goro reminds her.

“Morgana isn’t a ghost, he just loves eating chalk and gets all dusty from sneaking around the local schools.”

Everyone looks at Ren.

“What? So far he's been a better wingman than all of you."

**Author's Note:**

> thank u for reading!
> 
> — tnevmucric.carrd.co


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